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Stobbs stars as Ladies seal semi-final spot

West Ham United Ladies secured their spot in the semi-finals of the FA Women’s Premier League Plate with an emphatic 7-0 thrashing of Keynsham Town on Sunday afternoon.

Amber Stobbs was the Hammers’ star, bagging a hat-trick, while there was a double for Leanne Mabey and a goal for Kelly Wealthall. The hosts’ seventh was an unfortunate own goal at Keynsham’s expense.

Karen Ray – the side’s interim manager – watched her side race out the blocks as they took the lead after just five minutes. Wealthall was slipped through on goal and, on the right side of the box, she slotted into the far corner with ease.

The forward nearly had her second seven minutes later but saw her effort well saved, however it was soon two. Mabey was this time scorer, rising highest from a lovely Dayna Chong corner to head home.

Keynsham went close to getting themselves back in the game on the half hour mark, but goalkeeper Grace Staunton saved well before a combination of Chenise Austin and Hannah Wheeler scrambled off the line.

Mabey made it 3-0 on 32 minutes. Picking the ball up wide on the left-hand-side, the full-back curled into the box but her centre was struck with power and caught the goalkeeper out as it floated into the top of the net.

Stobbs got off the mark two minutes later as the hosts got a fourth. A lovely pass from Andrea Georgiou slipped in the midfielder, who – keeping her composure – rounded the keeper smartly and slipped into the empty goal.

Seven minutes before the break, West Ham were well out of sight as they made it five. Stobbs again was the woman left celebrating after smashing in the goal of the day.

Finding herself some space on the right-hand-side and 25 yards from goal, she lined up a driving effort which crashed into the top of the net and West Ham were 5-0 up.

Into the second half, Wealthall nearly had her second – first she celebrated finding the net before the offside flag ruled a sixth out, before moments later her attempt from ten yards was deflected onto the bar.

The Hammers had to wait 35 second half minutes, in fact, for their sixth goal. It came in familiar fashion – Stobbs was slipped in on goal, before going round the keeper and side-footing in.

And there was time for one more, as sub Molly Peters put a Keynsham defender under some serious pressure, resulting in the visiting player passing past her own keeper into the net to make it 7-0.

The win sees West Ham head into the last four of the FA Women’s Premier League Plate competition.